Abstract
While the capability of integrated nutrient management (INM) in rice systems has been adequately studied, little is known about the related short-term carbon sequestration and changes in soil carbon fractions. Our study examined the responses of organic carbon pools, carbon sequestration and rice yields after application of different organic manures combined with chemical fertilizers in a rice–rice (Oryza sativa L.) cropping system in the red and laterite agro-climatic zones of West Bengal, India. The treatments included non-fertilized control; rice straw (RS) + nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer (NPK); Gliricidia (GL) + NPK; farmyard manure (FYM) + NPK; vermicompost (VC) + NPK; and NPK only. Rice straw + NPK treatment resulted in the highest total organic carbon and passive pool of carbon. Vermicompost + NPK treatment resulted in the highest oxidizable organic carbon (0.69%), dissolved organic carbon (0.007%) and microbial biomass carbon (0.01%), followed by FYM + NPK, GL + NPK and RS + NPK as compared to control. Rice straw + NPK sequestered the highest amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) as the total organic carbon (91.10 t ha−1) and passive pool of carbon (85.64 t ha−1), whereas VC + NPK resulted in the highest amount of CO2 (10.24 t ha−1) being sequestered as the active pool of carbon, followed by FYM + NPK (8.33 t ha−1) and GL + NPK (7.22 t ha−1). The application of both NPK only and VC + NPK treatments resulted in the highest grain yields over the three cropping seasons. In spite of high carbon sequestration being observed in more recalcitrant carbon pools, RS + NPK resulted in little increase (3.52 t ha−1) in rice yield over the short term. The results of this study suggest that the short-term changes of soil carbon fractions and carbon sequestration primarily depend on the type of organic manure used. Vermicompost, FYM and GL provide more labile carbon, which can improve rice yield over the short term. However, it is suggested to explore the dynamics of different carbon fractions, carbon sequestration in different pools and rice yields over longer periods of time.
Highlights
The soil organic carbon (SOC) content of most soils in India is less than 10 g Kg−1 [5], which is attributed to excessive tillage, imbalance in fertilizer use, little or no crop residue being returned to the soil and soil degradation [6]
The other organic manures such as GL + NPK, farmyard manure (FYM) + NPK and VC + NPK showed significant increases in total organic carbon (TOC) content compared to the control, no significant differences were observed among them
Oxidizable organic carbon and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) values significantly improved for all organic manure plots compared to control
Summary
Rice-based cropping systems are the main agricultural production systems in most of the South Asian countries catering to food demands. 1970s and early 1980s, which were attributed to the introduction of high-yielding varieties and the adoption of improved cultural practices, rice yields have either remained stagnant or declined [2,3]. Deterioration of soil properties coupled with inadequate crop and nutrient management and adverse changes in climatic parameters are considered the basic causes for yield declines or stagnation [4]. SOC is a key soil property and is often considered as the backbone of soil quality. It directly affects the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil, and in turn affects crop productivity
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
